Bitola

Bitola
is the second largest city in Macedonia. Bitola is located on 169 km from the
capital Skopje and from the nearby city Prilep, is just 41 away, while from Ohrid is 66 km away. Bitola lies on an altitude of
600 meters above the sea level, at the foothills of the mountain Baba and it has
80,386 inhabitants,
while the entire Bitola municipality counts over 90,000 people. It is
the regional, economic and university center of south-western Macedonia.

Present Bitola was founded after the arrival of the Slavs in these areas,
near the ancient city of Heraklea
Lynkestis. Because of the numerous churches and
monasteries which existed in the city, and its surrounding, the city was
named Obitel, which is the origin of the present name, Bitola. During the
reign of Tzar
Samoil, Bitola was included within the Macedonian state and was the
seat of Bitola's bishop. From this period originates the first written
record of Bitola, from 1014, when Bitola was first mentioned in the
historical sources.

Until the conquest of the Turks,
Bitola represented a significant center of trade in the Pelagonija valley. After
1382, the city fell under Turkish rule. It retained its role as a
developed trading center for goods from Greece,
Albania and the surrounding locations. It also became an important Islamic
religious center, and a religious high school existed in the city, until
the end of the 17th century.

According to the notes of the
writer Evlija Čelebija, in this period in the city existed 70 mosques, several
cafe-tea rooms, bezisten (old turkish market) with iron gates, and
900 shops were built. Bitola exceeded the attractions of Skopje,
with the developed trade, the beauty of the river Dragor, and its green
areas. After the Austrian-Turkish wars, together with the other
cities in Macedonia, the trade development and the overall thriving of the city was
stifled.

In the second half of the 19th century, however,
again, it became the biggest city in Macedonia, after Solun
(Salonica) and resumed the role as the main center for trade. The
shops were filled with goods from Leipzig, Paris, Vienna, London and a lot
of other European cities. Bitola is also known as "city of
consuls", because Bitola used to be a diplomatic center with 12
consuls during the period 1878-1913.

Later, after the division of Macedonia, Bitola became, an
important city in Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. During the First world war (1914-1918), Bitola got almost demolished due
to the line of the Macedonian Front (1916-1918), which was passing south of the city. Of the 28,000 citizens, only 5,000 remained living in
the city. During the Second world war (1941-1945), the Germans and later Bulgarians controlled the city, until it was liberated in 1944 by the Macedonian Partisans.

Especially interesting and beautiful is the
old-city architecture in Bitola. The Bitola Bazaar (Čarsija), retains
numerous old crafts workshops, and it represents one of the most
interesting bazaars in Macedonia. On market days, the visitors may find
various hand made garments, traditional for the Macedonian area.

Today, Bitola is an
administrative, economical and cultural center in the south west of the
country, with a developed network of institutions in all domains.

The University of St. Clement
of Ohrid in Bitola, comprises four faculties and two colleges, and 5,000
students studying in Bitola, Ohrid and Prilep. The Science Society is
another active institution in Bitola. There is a large number of cultural
institutions as well. The best known among them is the Bitola Theater,
which has won the highest theater accolades at many festivals in the
country and abroad. The Art Gallery and a number of cultural and artistic
associations have recorded a continuously upward line of activity. Bitola
is the organizer of the "Manaki Brothers" international festival, devoted
to the work of the first film cameraman in the Balkans and achievements in
the art of cinecamera. It is the only event of this kind in the world.
Bitola also hosts the international art event entitled 'Small Bitola
Monmartre' and the Interfest festival of classical music. The 'llinden
Days' folk music festival is another event held there each year.

Bitola has a vast economic
potential. The Pelagonija agricultural combine is the largest producer of
food in the country. The Streževo water system is the largest in Macedonia
and has the best technological facilities. The three thermoelectric power
stations of REK Bitola produce nearly 80% of electricity in the state. The
Frinko refrigerate factory is a leading electrical and metal
company. Bitola also has significant capacities in textile and food
industries. Bitola is turning into the second diplomatic center of
Macedonia. France, Turkey and Italy have already opened consulates there.

Bitola has a vast tourist
potential as well. Numerous and important monuments of culture have
survived from its rich history. The town and its surroundings abound in
natural beauties.

The
church St. VMČ (Veliko Mačenik) Dimitrija was built in 1830. At the time of its
construction, upon the request of the Turkish authorities, the churches
were supposed to be modest, and they could not surpass the Turkish mosques
in their beauty. However, the church interior possesses a rare beauty.
Especially important is the iconostasis made in representing elements of
fauna and flora, especially skillfully.

The Ajdar-kadi (Turkish
judge) mosque is one of the most
attractive monuments of the Islamic architecture in Bitola. It was built
in 1561-1562, as the project of the famous architect Sinn Mimar, ordered
by the Bitola kadija Ajdar-kadu. The mosque was abandoned and over time,
it was heavily damaged, but, the recent restoration and conservation
works, have restored, to a certain extent, the original appearance to the
mosque.

The Jeni mosque is located in the centre of the city. It has a square base, topped with a cupola. Near the mosque there is a minaret, 40m high. Today, in the rooms of this mosque permanent and temporary art exhibitions are held.

The
Isak mosque is the inheritance of the
famous kadi Isak Celebi. In the spacious yard of the mosque, there are
several tombs, attractive because of the soft, molded shapes of the sarcophagi.

The Bezisten (the old Turkish market) is
mentioned in another description of the city from the 16th and
the 17th century. The present Bezisten in its external
appearance does not differ much from the original one. The Bezisten had 86
shops and 4 large iron gates. The shops were used for selling textiles,
and today they are being used for selling food products.

The Bath Deboj (Turkish bath=amam). The
period of construction is not known. This Amam over time was heavily
destroyed, but, after the repairs were made it re-gained its original
appearance: beautiful facade, two large cupolas and several minor ones.